Mixed feeding - advice please

[madeinnewport]

Hi all,

I’d like to hear from mums who have combination fed, please. My baby is 4 weeks. I’ve been exclusively breastfeeding until now, but I want to add 1-2 formula feeds a day while also maintaining breastfeeding. I’m not desperate to start straight away so might wait until 6-8 weeks.

In the meantime, I was wondering if anyone had advice on...

1. Does it actually affect supply in the sense that your supply drops at the times of day when you’re still wanting to breastfeed? If so, any tips on preventing/managing that?

1. Stupid question, but when the advice says something like “introduce one bottle feed a week and see how it goes”, do they mean one feed per day or one per week??

1. Does/can switching to formula suddenly make them windy? Ours is pretty good with wind and I wondered if suddenly adding a formula feed could set her off (but I’ve also read plenty of posts saying formula at dream feed sends them into a nice, long sleep - here’s hoping)

1. General advice/tips?

Thanks

What I think may be outdated because my youngest is almost 8 now. But from what I remember night feeds are the ones that are the most important to maintain your supply. Not all formulas suit all babies so it will be trial and error to find the one that works, also you wish the potential of introducing possible allergens. Also it is your baby and plenty of babies have thrived on formula, one of mine was formula fed from day 3. Another was breastfed until 3. There is no right to wrong

Not you 'wish' but you risk possible allergens. Have had a bit to drink.
And congrats on your baby xx

Just out of curiosity, how would it cause allergies?

I combination fed from birth with mostly breast until 2 months and then 50/50 until 4 months.

1. My supply didn’t really change - I pumped a lot during the day when she moved over to more formula.

1. I can’t really help with this. She had formula through the night from birth. Breast last thing before bed at 10pm and breast first thing at 7am. But two formula feeds in the night - no issues.

1. Again, as it was from birth I cannot say if there was an increase in wind. DD is a farter like no other though, so this may be the reason.

1. General advice:

• I found myself getting emotional when we increased the number of formula feeds, like she didn’t need me as much, which is ridiculous but maybe watch out for that and give yourself a wobble (which I did)

• Enjoy the extra sleep because someone else can do night feeds

• Buy a perfect prep for the formula. It’s a bloody lifesaver at the night.

• DD did get a little sick when we increased her formula feeds, as in she threw up more after feeds. We just changed the formula to see which she preferred, Cow and Gate being the winner, so be prepared for some trial and error.

Good luck!

By 6/8 weeks your supply should be well established. If you are replacing the same feed each day with a bottle your body will adjust to not making milk at that time. Your body will still make milk for other regular feeds though.
The night time feeds are the ones that stimulate supply, the above pp is right.
With mixed feeding, baby will at still cluster feed at growth spurt times so if you want to continue breastfeeding you need to respond to those growth spurts with breastfeeds not bottles. Otherwise your body won't know to make more milk for baby.
Beware that baby may get pissed off at the slower flow of breastmilk when compared to a bottle.
As for replacing feeds, I'd try just one bottle one week. Then up it to a bottle every few days. If you drop a feed too quickly you risk mastitis and engorgement.
Note - i am not a trained breeastfeeding counsellor, but i fed for 3 years. We mix fed between 6 and 10 months, one bottle at bedtime.

@LifeInPlasticIsFantastic This is all really helpful, thank you! Does a perfect prep machine mean you don’t have to go downstairs btw? Presumably you just need water and formula accessible upstairs? Because that would be really helpful for partner (while I have a sleep!)

@Weatherwaxed Thanks for all this! To clarify, do you mean to make sure to breastfeed exclusively during growth spurts, or just to make sure not to add in extra formula than normal, if you see what I mean?

@shitpark Thank you :)

Yes! No downstairs trips.

We fill the tank before bed each night and keep a tub of formula next to the prep.

Takes about 1 minute for a ready to eat bottle.

@LifeInPlasticIsFantastic Brilliant!